Drill



Dec.- 15, 1925. 1,565.43@

F. A. EDsoN ET AL DRILL Filed April 1o, 1922 2 sheets-sheet Patented Dec. l5, 1925.'

.UNITED s'rATi-:s PATENT oFvFlcE.

' FRANK A. EDsoN, 0F NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND BYRON B. CARTER, or IIINSDALE,

, ILLINOIS. I I v DRILL. l

Application filed April 1922. SerialN'o. 550,955.

To all Iwhom t may concern.'

1 x vBe it' known that we, BRANI; A. LDsoN and BYRON B. CARTER, citizens of the United for deep boring or` .drilling and relates par` ticularly to drills of this type known as core-barrel drills. ll

type to which our invention relates are diamond drills, and other rotary drills having fish-tail" or rose bits. A

Drills of the type to which our invention $0 relates are constructed and arranged for forming and removing cores of. different mineral strata through which holes are bored, thus showing the exactv mineral formations at different depths. Such drills li are known as core-barrel dri-lls and -are mainly used for prospecting purposes, to determine the character and extent of mineral` formations and deposits underlying different core-barrel rotatably mounted within said casing. which will,iin most eases, remove at least fragmentary cores, regardless of the character of the deposit, through which the drill is working.

Drills of the type vand for the purpose specified are provided with passageways eX- tending lengthwise through the same and,

in the operation thereof, a continuous flow4 of water is maintained downwardly through the passageways in the drill rods and up- .wardly along the outside of the drill casing and drill rods: operating in the first place,

lduced in drilling.

Vell known examples of drills of this.

' to lubricate the bit of the drill and, in the second place, to carry ofi' the detritus pro- The combined action of the drill and water frequently,disintegrates the soft, soluble and easily `friable material not only at the pointl where the drill is actually. operating, but in Athejpsides of the drill holes above the lower endsof the drills, forming enlargements of the drill holes and, in many eases, causing the unslmported earth forming the sides of such enlargements to cave in and to -pack around' the drill rod or operation and, in some cases, prevents its withdrawal and necessitating its abandonment.

`casing, thereby producing binding of the drill, which is often sufficient to prevent its In some'cases and with some types ofv drills, it. has been proposed to prevent the formation of such enlargements in the sides of drill holesby the use of mud-laden fiuid in the drilling operation, instead of water, the mud-laden fluid used being as thick and stiff as possible consistent with necessaryy fiuidity.

So far aswe are aware, our invention, mud-laden fluid never has been used in the operation of a core-barrel drill. for the reason that the water passages in drills of this type have been of such small size that they 'would very quicklyfrbecome clogged and closed by the deposit of sedimentl therein, thus preventing the fluid from -`reachingfthe drill-bit and preventing the' removing of the detritus produced in drilling. y The object of the invention is. therefore` to provide a core-barrel drill adapted for drilling in soft, soluble and `easily friable material, specifically a core-barrel drill so constructed and arrangedA and provided withv fluid passageways of such large size throughout, that mud-laden fluid may be used in drilling operations without danger of saidfiuid passages becoming choked and the supply' of fluid for flushing the drill-bits cut off. 4

To efiect the object of the invention, our improved drill comprises the various features, combinations of features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. y

In the accompanying drawings in'which vour invention is -fully illustrated,

Figure l is a longitudinal` central sechowever, prior to the trill bit.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the core lifter ring.

ligure 8 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the drill bit,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal,

center sectional view of the lower end of the.

drill illustrating a modification; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the inner core barrel, one-half in elevation and one-half in section, illustrating a modification.

In the accompanying drawings, we have for purposes of clear and definite illustration shown our invention and improvements as applied to and embodied in a diamond drill having an inner core barrel. We do not, however, desire to limit ourselves to the particular `embodiment of our invention shown, which is merely illustrative, as our invention contemplates equally the use of other forms of bits suitable for the purose. v p Referring now to Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, 1 designates the drill rod, 2 the outer casing of the drill, 3 the inner corebarrel, 4 the drill-bit, 5 the drill rod to drill casing coupling, 6 the couplings of the drill casing, 7 the inner core-barrel couplings, 8 the drill-bit coupling, 9 the core lifter ring and 10 the core lifter shell/ Considered broadly, all of the above and foregoing parts are old and well known in y tht art and as regardsy their usual features and excepting as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out, may be of any desired or approved construction and will be readily understood by persons familiar with the art without a description thereof in detail.

The drill rod 1, the drill casing and inner core-barrel 2 and 3, and the drill-bit 4 are hollow, the bore of the drill rod 1 being connected with the upper ond of the drill casing 2 by p'assageways 11 formed in the coupling member, and formed in the inner wall of the drill bit 4 are recesses 12, whichextend from top to bottom thereof and connect the space or passageway between the drill casing 2 andthe inner core-barrel 3 with the bore of the drill-bit and also with grooves 13, formed transversely in the cutting face thereof. The fluid for liushing the drill-bit passes downwardly through the drill rod 1, the passageways 11 in the coupling member 5, the space between the drill casing and the inner core-barrel, the holes l2 in the drill-bit, and outwardly through the grooves 13, returning thence upwardly along the sides of the drill casing and drill rod. I

ln the practice of our invention, the space between the drill casing and the-inner corebarrel is made of such considerable width and the passageways 11 and recesses 12 in the couplings 5 and drill-bit 4 of such large size that they will not become clogged or stopped up by the deposit of sediment there in in the usual or contemplated operation of the drill.

As shown, the inner core-barrel is `mounted within the outer drill casing so as to permit said core-barrel to turn relatively to said drill casing, thus providing for the inner core-barrel remaining stationary during the drilling operation and thereby preventing any grinding action or attrition by said inner core-barrel tending to disintegrate soft, friable cores. Simple means for thus mounting said inner core-barrel is as follows The lower end of said inner core-barrei' is coupled directly to the core lifter shell 10, thel lower end of which is fitted to turn freely in an enlargement 14 of the upper end of the bore of drill-bit and rests upon the shoulder 15 formed at the bottom of said en largement. Secured to the upper endA of said inner core-barrel is a cap 16, formed on which is a tapered bearing projection 17 which engages a corresponding recessed bearing 18 formed in the coupling member 5. The cap 16 is preferably made of Steel and to reduceufriction and prevent cutting of the bearing-the bearing 18 is preferably formed directly in a plug 19' of bronze or' similar metal, secured in a hole formed in the lower end ofthe couplingl member 5. The bearings .for said inner core-barrel are adapted vto maintain the said core-barrel substantially concentric with theouter corebarrel, thus providing a space of uniform width between the drill casing and the inner core-barrel on all sides thereof, which, as previously stited, will be suiiiciently large to permit the of mud-laden fluid for flushing the drill without danger of its becoming clogged or stopped up by the deposit of sediment therein. We do not, however, desire to limit ourselves to the particular manner of mounting said inner core-barrel, as our invention contemplates any desired or approved means for this purpose. A When a' drill casing auf core-barrel com-V prising but single sections are used, the end bearings will be sufficient to support the inner core-barrel centrally of and in desired spaced relation to the drill casing. There said drill casing and core-barrel comprising a plurality of sections are used, however, we prefer 'to provide additional supporting means for said inner core-barrel intermedi ate its ends. As shown, said means are as follows t-The inner core-barrel sections are connected by the separate coupling mem ber's 7, formed on which are tins or ribs 2t),A

which' are of such height that said coupling rnember's 7 will lit the bore ol the outer corebarrel without binding. To prevent wear' on the dr'ill casing sections, separate coupling members 6 are used'for connecting the sections thereof, said coupling members being made in the form of bushings threaded into the connected ends ot the drill casing sections, said sections being so proportioned and arranged that the inner core-barrel e0uplings 7vwill be positioned inside of the corresponding drill casing coupling members 6. being Fitted directly to the bores thereof. lVith this construe-tion, it is obvious that it' wear' of said coupling members 6 occurs, they may. readily be renewed at slight expense.

In imanner, tins or ribs 21 are formed on the upper end of the core. lifter shell lt), which is coupled directly to the lower end of the'inner core-barrel, and on the `cap 16 on the upper end ot' said inner corebarrel.

inconvenience in assembling the drill casr ng, inner' core-barrel, drill-bit and associated parts, being ,proportioned to guide Said tins or ribs 2l ar'e primarily thel projection 17 into its bearing 18, and the lowerend of the. cor'e lifter shell into the enla-r ernentl-t of the upper' end of the bore ofthe drill-bit when said drill-bit is Y attached, this. bif'ing the linal step inassembling the drill. vSaid tins or ribs 2l are so proportioned, however, that in case of excesisive Wear in the end vbearing of the inner core-barrel, they will, by contact with the .inner sides'of the drill casing, maintain said jdr-ill casing and core-barrel substantially concentric.

/n order that an accumulation of air, gas orwater, under pressure, in the inner cor'ebarrel 3, shall-not prevent or interfere with the designed operation ol the drill, said inner core-barrel is provided with vent-openings 22 at its ripper' end.

bearing cap 16.A l

'lhecore lifter ring 9 is of the usual type land will be readily understood by persons.

Familiar with the ar't without a description thereof in detail.

Instead ot' forming the core litter shell 10 as a separate p'a=r't,. our invention con- .templates equally fo; ruling said litter shell as an` integral part of the drill-bit 4, which is in accordance with long established practice. VVith this construction the tins or ribs Aon the lower end of the inner' core-barrrel are formed on a ring or' collar' detachably connected to thelower end ot said which fitsy nato the upper end of the core lifter shell,`said ring being provided with inner and, outer shoulders the lower end ot barrel 3.

As shown, said vent-holes are formed in the end of the y thc 'inner core-barrel resting on the inner shoulder, and the outer' shoulder' resting upon the upper' end of the core litter shell.

This modification is shown in Fig. 9 ofv the drawings, in which 2 designates the drill casing, 3" the inner core-barrel, 4 the drill-bit detachably. connected or coupled to the lower' end of the drill casing, l0" the core lifter shell formed integral with saiddrill-bit, 23 a ring or' collar secured to the lower end of the inner' core-barrel formed on which ar'e guide lins or r'ibs 2l', said ring or collar comprising a contracted portion 2l fitted to the upper' end Aot' the cor'e litter shell l0 and which forms a shoulder`25 on said r'ing or coupling member adapted to rest on" the upper'l end ot saidcore lifter shell, and said ring or coupling member beingv also provided with an interior. shoulder' 26 which delines full engagement of said ring or collar witlrthe inner' core-A Under some conditions ot' drilling, as when the drill passes `from a hard stratum, as rock, into a sott stratum, as oil bearing sand and some shales, theweight of a hard core, previously formed and contained within the drilll barrel aiid the lower end of which has passed above the cor'o lifter,'will bc sulicient, when the drill is lifted, to cr'ush and disintegrate the lower' eor'e section ot' lsott material, thus permitting the vrecovery `of only a very small, 1f any, cor'e section.`

To remedy this condition, we pr'opose to equip the drill with two or' more-core litters supported in spaced relation within the cor'ebarrel. In what we now consider' the preferable embodiment ot' our invention as4 it relates to this featurethe core lifter shell or shells of the core lifter or litters, other' than the lower'most, form integral parts of the inner' core-barrel couplings, all or any desired number' of which may be thus equipped with core litters.

This modification is shown in Fig. l0 of the drawings, in which' 32 designates the inner core-barrel, 7 an inner' core-barrel. coupling, 102 a core lifter shell which 4forms an integral part ot' said coupling, 92

the 'core litter ring, and 20 tins or ribs .formed on said coupling 7 adapted to prevent buckling ot'the drill casing and corebarrel.

WVO clairnlqln a rotary core-barrel drill ofthe type specified, the combination of an outer drill casing, a oore-barrel rotatably mounted within said casing, and a dr'ill-bit detachably secured to the lowerA end thereof, said drill being provided with ushing passageway/s comprising a space formed between the drill casing and the inner core-barrel and passageways in the drill-bit formed by recesses in the inner' wall thereof which extend from llt 'top to bottom thereof and connect the bore of said drill-bit with the space between the drill casing and inner core-barrel and transverse grooves formed in the face ofthe drillbit.

2. A rotary core-barrel drill as Specified in claim l, in Which the flushing passageways are of such large size throughout that mudladen liquid may be used -for flushing purposes. I

3. A rotary core-barrel drill as specified in claim 1, in which a bearing cap is detachably secured to the` upper end of the core-v barrel and a core lifting shell is detachably secured to the lower end thereof, and guide ns are formed on said detachable cap and core lifting shell which lit loosely within the drill casing and maintain said casing and inner core-barrel substantially concentric With each other.

4. A'rotary core-barrel drill as specified in claim 1, in which both the drill casing and inner core-barrel comprise separate sectlons coupled together end to end, the means for coupling said sections comprising a separate coupling bushing for coupling adjacent drill casing sections vvand a separate coupling sleeve for coupling adjacent inner core-barrel sections, the sections of the 'drill casing and of the inner core-barrel being so proportioned and arranged that the couplings of the outer drill casing Willsurround corresponding inner core-barrel couplings, and tins formed on the coupling members of one thereof which extend into clo'se roximity to the opposed surface of the cou ing member of the other, providing renewal maintaining said drill casing and inner corebarrel in spaced relation and for preventing buckling thereof.

5. A rotary core-barrel drill as specified in claim 1,in Which the inner core-barrel comprises separate sections, and a coupling sleeve for coupling adjacent sections thereof, and the core lifting means comprises a core lifting shell which forms an integral part of an inner core-barrel coupling, and a'split core-lifting ring of resilient material Within said core lifting shell, the contacting Surfaces of said shell and .ring being correspondingly tapered.

In testimony thatwe claim the foregoing le means for v as our invention, We have hereunto aiixed our signatures this 13th day of March, 1922, and 5th day of April, 1922 respectively.

FRANK A. EnsoN. BYRON B. CARTER. 

